Best of

the Twin Cities

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A FIRST DATE

duplex

Nothing's more nerve-wracking than a first date. Will the restaurant you pick have something your unknown quantity likes? You can't bring a hemp-shoed girl to Champps, after all, and you can't bring a backward-baseball cap dude to the raw-food joint. And what about price? If you're a girl and you pick a pricey place, does that mean you're a high-maintenance princess? But if you pick a place that's too casual, does that mean you have low standards? No wonder so many people give up and marry their cousins. But seriously, folks—picking a first date restaurant ain't easy. Until you remember duplex. It hits the sweet spot between classy—candlelight! intimate tables! rooms fit for your cutest shoes!—and down-home. The appetizers, soups, and salads are all under $8; the entrees are straight-ahead either $12 or $17. The food options are good for folks who stick to the classics (crab cakes, fried chicken!), for those who let their ethics guide their food choices (vegetable tamales, tofu peanut risotto!), and for those whose palates crave adventure (fennel salad, bison!). And the mid-Hennepin Avenue location means you can go out for Uptown drinks if you hit it off, or vanish for drinks with your friends if you don't. In short, when you need a wingman for your first date, duplex has your back.